Ole Miss alumna first Mississippian to win fellowship

An Ole Miss alumna will begin teaching high school math this fall, but unlike so many new teachers, she’ll start off with a national fellowship valued at up to $175,000.

The funds, which are spread out over five years, are mainly for professional development opportunities, classroom materials and summer stipends, said Jessica Peralta, 23, a Mooreville native.

Peralta is the first Mississippian to win the fellowship.

Distributed by the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation fellowship program, Peralta said she won’t qualify for all the funds, but it’s still a good way to start off her teaching career.

The foundation, which started in 2002, is only available to new teachers in the fields of math and science. Peralta’s recognition places the state on the map during a time when Mississippi schools are actively seeking qualified STEM instructors.

STEM teachers, those in science, technology, engineering and math, are increasingly sought across the nation, with Mississippi universities actively working to train more students in those particular fields, said Peralta.

Though she earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary math education in May 2013, Peralta recently finished her first year of graduate studies. She said she’ll continue the master’s program part-time while she takes a teaching position at Oxford High School.

“I always liked math when I was in school,” said Peralta. “Always in the back of my mind, I knew I wanted to teach it.”

The fellowship, she said, will expose her to alternate teaching methods.

It’s not the first fellowship for Peralta, who recently worked as a research fellow for the University of Mississippi’s Center for Mathematics and Science Education.

“She’s been an outstanding young lady, very driven,” said Alice Steimle, the center’s association director. “Personally, I would love to have my children have her as a teacher.”

Steimle said Peralta consistently maintains a clear vision of where math education needs to be in the classroom.

It’s an important trait that more teachers could learn from, Steimle said.

And while Peralta’s fellowship won’t mean she’s running to cash any big checks at the bank — though she can qualify for up to $3,600 a year in summer stipends — for her it means she’ll be able to offer her students more.